South Australia’s roads were filled with electric energy over the Easter long weekend and Gather Round, as EV drivers hit the highway in record numbers and charging activity skyrocketed across the state.
New data from RAA reveals a massive increase in usage across its border-to-border charging network, with 7,710 charging sessions recorded over the 10-day period, a huge 118 per cent increase compared to last year.
It wasn’t just more plug-ins, either. The amount of electricity delivered jumped by 128 per cent to more than 204,000 kWh, powering over one million kilometres of travel across South Australia. To put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent of saving around 71,000 litres of petrol or diesel.
The spike marks the busiest period ever recorded on the RAA Charge network, fuelled by Easter holiday travel and AFL Gather Round visitors exploring the state. From coastal getaways to regional road trips, EV drivers embraced South Australia’s growing charging infrastructure in a big way.
Regional areas led the charge, with locations like Mount Barker, Bordertown, Mount Gambier and Tintinara seeing particularly strong demand. Popular tourist hotspots, including Victor Harbor, Kingston SE, Naracoorte and Meningie, also recorded significant increases in charging activity.
“Easter and Gather Round was already the busiest period for the RAA Charge network – and activity on the network more than doubled this year,” shared RAA Principal Advisor for Energy and Future Mobility, Peter Nattrass. “Energy delivered grew even faster than charging sessions, showing more drivers are benefiting from fast, high-capacity charger which kept average charging times to just 33 minutes.”
Interstate visitors played a major role too, with usage from Victorian drivers more than tripling compared to last year. It’s a sign that South Australia is fast becoming a go-to destination for EV-friendly road trips.
With demand continuing to climb, industry leaders are calling for further investment in charging infrastructure to keep pace. The recent launch of the Keep Australia Moving campaign by the Australian Automobile Association is pushing for increased federal support, alongside the introduction of a road user charge for EV drivers to help fund future upgrades.
For now, one thing is clear, South Australians and visitors are embracing electric travel in a big way, and the state’s charging network is powering a new era of road trips.
